On a day when the Yankees were always guaranteed to hire some free agents, they certainly got to work. With the exciting news that DJ LeMahieu and Corey Kluber will be dressed in stripes next season, it’s easy to ignore the other additions made to the organization yesterday. After a delay in the normal opening of the international free agency from July 2 to January 15, several young candidates were able to officially join a major league organization.
There was great anticipation at the start of the 2019 international signing period, as the Yankees were prepared to pay the biggest signing bonus they had ever given an amateur player at Jasson Dominguez. This year, the Yankees’ class comes with much less hype, and even diminished from now on than it would have been had the hiring period started on July 2na, 2020 as initially planned.
The Yankees came in with the second lowest baseball bonus, after losing $ 1 million from their signature bonus pool when they signed with Gerrit Cole, who was attached to a rejected qualification offer. Rules that allow teams to trade for additional space in the bonus pool have been lifted this year, leaving teams with only their basic allocation.
This year’s class prize for the Yankees is Dominican middleman Hans Montero. The Yankees reportedly signed a $ 1.7 million bonus with Montero. The 1.50 m shortstop turned 17 on Christmas Day and is a right-handed hitter.
Baseball America ranked him as the 23rd best international candidate available this winter, although he did not make the MLB.com list of 30 best candidates. The Yankees paid him according to some of their best candidates in recent years, indicating that they really liked their skill set and were willing to reach the top of the market to secure their subscription.
Montero was designed to stay on the shortstop, which is an important symbol of his athletic ability. Numerous players sign as shortstops, but are quickly moved down the defensive spectrum as their bodies fill up. He is known to have smooth hands and a strong arm. Montero also has positive speed with gap power that the Yankees hope to turn into something more.
Joining Hans with the Yankees is Dominican outfielder Fidel Montero (unrelated). Fidel was hired as a shortstop after being listed as an athletic outfielder in his Baseball America pre-hire analysis. It is said that it has great tools, but it was not rated highly due to inconsistent performances in the game’s action.
Closing the day for the Yankees, they also signed Ramiro Altagracia, an outfielder from the Dominican Republic, and Venezuelan shortstop Kleiner Delgado.
One piece missing from the Yankees’ signing day is Jesus Galiz, who has been linked to the team since the beginning of last year until recently. Galiz, a Venezuelan receiver ranked eighth by MLB.com, changed his appointment in late November. He signed with the Dodgers for $ 400,000, which according to a report was almost half of what the Yankees offered him. No specific reason was given for his switch, but the recent success of the Dodgers’ player development system probably played a factor in the decision.
The Yankees were also linked to Samuel Basallo, a highly rated candidate, at certain points in the process, before he moved to Baltimore. The 1.80 m receiver is a potential impact bat, while its size raised questions about how long it would stay behind the sign.
The Yankees have four players hired after the first day of the subscription period and they probably still have a significant amount of their bonus money to spend. Two potential customers remain free agents. Cuban outfielder Oscar Colás, ranked second best international free agent by MLB.com, was officially released as a free agent in late December. He is an attractive prospect after playing in Japan for several years and reaching the top league at age 20. We recently published an article here on the Pinstripe Alley about Colas and the many ways it fits perfectly into the Yankees’ organization. He is scheduled to train for major league teams soon, but he has also indicated that he is willing to wait until the next hiring period to maximize his bonus.
Also on the market is Cuban Dyan Jorge, 17, ranked 20th by MLB.com. The young man stood out for his game against international competitions with Cuba’s 15U team in 2018 and was the favorite to sign with Colorado for most of the signing day, but he remains available. He is considered a positive defender and runner with exceptional instincts.
The Yankees added at least four new players to their organization with the opening of the free international agency period. They are unlikely to appear on the best candidate lists immediately, but the Yankees have a strong international presence in their various candidate rankings.